Executive does not impose additional restrictions on Pride

Critics and supporters of the controversial group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid clashed on Tuesday during an emotional debate about Pride Toronto’s compliance with the city’s anti-discrimination policy, but in the end Mayor Rob Ford’s executive refrained from imposing additional conditions on city funding for the annual event.

The city will continue to withhold its financial support of the nine-day festival until after its conclusion, a condition imposed last year after controversy erupted over QuAIA’s participation in the parade.

City manager Joe Pennachetti has since concluded that the term “Israeli Apartheid” does not violate the anti-discrimination policy, but QuAIA has said it will not march in this year’s parade and Pride organizers are taking them at their word.

City officials appear content to do so, as well.

Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti backed off an earlier demand that organizers provide written assurances that QuAIA will be banned. The executive committee unanimously received the city manager’s report.

“Discrimination whether it meets the definition of any code or whether its done through actions, or body language at times, isn’t comfortable and we all know that,” said Councillor Mammoliti. “The question is should taxpayers be funding events that allow this to go on and I still say no. And I will continue to say no, as long as people, communities, are hurt by any of the comments that are made.” Mr. Mammoliti believes Pride “got the message today” and will be vigilant to ensure QuAIA does not participate. “We have the ability to withhold the funds and we’ll wait and see what happens during that week, and that’s good enough for me right now,” he said following the meeting.

Pride is counting on a $128,000 cultural grant from the city, in addition to about $250,000 worth of in kind services like police and garbage clean up, which make up about a quarter of its budget. Without it, Pride could go bankrupt, organizers had said.

Francisco Alvarez, co-chair of Pride Toronto was visibly relieved by Tuesday’s outcome. “It’s one less obstacle for us as we plan the festival,” he said. “We’re expecting things to go very smoothly at this point.”

Mayor Ford did not comment on the issue at the meeting that saw more than fifty speak out.

Representatives from the B’nai Brith Canada, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies and the Jewish Defence League, among others, blasted QuAIA, arguing that comparing Israel to the former South African apartheid state serves only to demonize Israel.

Stacey Starkman, with Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre, noted the Jewish community continues to be the number one target of hate crimes in Toronto, according to police statistics, and “organizations like QuAIA accomplish nothing more than deepening the hatred.”

But others insisted there is nothing hateful about criticizing a government’s policies.

Elizabeth Block, with a group called Independent Jewish Voices, asked “Is Israel an apartheid state? I leave the details to other people but it fits the UN definition, which is to say a place where people living in the same area are governed by different legal regimes depending on their ethnicity or race.”

In a heated exchange, Councillor James Pasternak challenged Naomi Binder Wall, of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network: “So, you’ve never been to Gaza? You’re just here as a gossip-mongerer!”

Carol Pasternak, a member of the Jewish and LGBT community, says the Pride festival “has to be free of hateful messaging if the city is to support it.”

“No one is threatening free speech here. People can protest and express their opinion anywhere — but not on the public dime.”